Tesla Showroom Slated for Former Egg Board Site

Touted as one of Brisbane’s largest CBD fringe sites, ripe for development, the former Queensland Egg Board site at Red Hill is finally in line for a revamp.

Plans have been filed with the Brisbane City Council for the adaptive reuse of the two commercial buildings on the 10,523sq-m site at 25 Musgrave Road in the capital’s inn-north, with Tesla slated to anchor the building. 

The property was developed in the 1960s for the Queensland Egg Board and most recently listed for sale about six years ago. Tanila Investments Pty Ltd is the current owner with Brisbane locals Stephen Gray and Pamela Olson listed as the company directors. 

The plans for the inner-city site, which abuts the heritage-listed bomb shelter, fig trees and Normanby Hotel, are for the adaptive reuse of the two commercial buildings.

According to planning documents the existing buildings are “underutilised and visually unappealing”.

“Along with the key operational intent as a new vehicle centre for Tesla, the proposal seeks to revitalise the existing building, delivering a considerable improvement to the architectural form, streetscape presence, and embellishments along the site frontages,” the report said.

“Key design elements include glazing along the majority of the facade, variations in colours and material treatments, and rooftop trough planters with shrub and cascading planting.”

▲ The adaptive reuse of the commercial buildings on the significant inner-city site is likely to be an interim measure ahead of redevelopment of the whole precinct in the future.

Street activation on Musgrave Road would provide a new pedestrian entry point to the refurbished buildings that would accommodate Tesla’s integrated showroom and service facility. 

The plans include minimal works on site, and largely entail the adaptive reuse and refurbishment of the existing buildings. 

Part of the site is identified within the commercial character overlay, however there are no works proposed for the commercial character building itself.

The ground and first floor of the three-storey building would provide a service centre with a new car showroom on the second floor. The building height will remain unchanged with 78 carparking spaces, 20 bicycle parking spaces and end-of-trip facilities. 

The planning documents suggest this is an interim solution before the precinct is redeveloped as a whole.

Neighbouring Normanby Hotel was listed for sale this year with price expectations of about $16 million. Hotelier family the Ingham-Myers, who own the Rocklea Hotel, was reportedly in the market for the iconic 130-year-old pub.